OLYMPIA MODERNISM

OLYMPIA MODERNISM

A self-guided tour of mid-century buildings

Heritage Commission

Google Maps, ?2010

1 KGY Radio Station 2 Georgia Pacific Plywood Co. Office 3 Medical Arts Center 4 Memorial Clinic 5 Capital Center Building 6 Capitol Lake Restrooms 7 Seattle First National Bank ?

Olympia Branch 8 Goldberg's Furniture Store 9 Olympia Federal Savings & Loan 10 Capital Savings & Loan 11 Metropolitan Life Insurance

Company 12 Sears Department Store 13 Ramada Inn 14 Evergreen Plaza 15 Washington Mutual Savings Bank 16 Golden Gavel Motor Hotel 17 1007 Washington Building 18 120 Union Ave Building 19 State Parking Garages 20 General Administration Building

31 Sunset Life Insurance Co. Headquarters

32 Dick Lewis Pontiac-Cadillac Dealership

33 Washington State Employees Credit Union

34 Olympia City Hall

Google Maps, ?2010

15 Washington Mutual Savings Bank 16 Golden Gavel Motor Hotel 17 1007 Washington Building 18 120 Union Ave Building 19 State Parking Garages 20 General Administration Building 21 State Archives Building 22 Department of Highways &

Licensing Building 23 Dept. of Social & Health Services

Building 24 Water Garden Fountain 25 Highway Administration Building 26 Employment Security Building 27 IBM Building 28 Capitol Center Apartments 29 Washington State Library 30 Olympia Medical - Dental Building 31 Sunset Life Insurance Co.

Headquarters 32 Dick Lewis Pontiac-Cadillac

Dealership 33 Washington State Employees Credit

Union 34 Olympia City Hall

1 ? KGY Radio Station 1240 Washington St NE Architect: Robert Wohleb, 1960

\KGY Radio, one of the oldest radio stations in the United States, began life at St. Martin's College in 1914. The station, originally heard in 23 states, officially procured a license from the Federal Communications Commission to operate in 1922. After outgrowing its space in the Rockway-Leland Building, KGY hired architect Robert Wohleb to design a studio at the tip of the port peninsula. Built on pilings directly above the water, it is one of the most uniquely situated stations in the country.

2 ? Georgia Pacific Plywood Co. Office 600 Capitol Way N Architect: Naramore, Bain, Brady & Johanson, 1952

Constructed as a unique marketing tool for the Georgia Pacific Plywood Company, this building demonstrated the many uses of plywood by the utilization of exotic veneers for interior and exterior finishes. It housed the corporate offices for the company for just two years and then became home to the Washington State Department of Game. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the building was designed by the noted Seattle architectural firm of Naramore, Bain, Brady & Johanson, and today remains as the only standing structure associated with Olympia's once burgeoning plywood industry.

3 ? Medical Arts Center 1015 W 4th Ave Architect: G. Stacey Bennett, 1966

Designed to blend with the surrounding residential environment, the Medical Arts Center utilized a sawtooth style roof to break the mass of the building. Such design elements reflect a softer approach to the strict form of modernism. Constructed for Dr. E.V. Olson and William Bigelow, the building housed a series of medical offices and a pharmacy and was designed by noted Olympia architect G. Stacey Bennett.

4 ? Memorial Clinic 529 4th Ave W Architect: Wohleb & Wohleb, 1948

The Memorial Clinic was built at this location because of its proximity to St. Peter's Hospital, which at the time was located just up the hill on 4th Avenue. The Memorial Clinic was an innovative concept in 1948. It joined together in one facility doctors from various specialties which was convenient for patients and reduced administrative costs. Not only did it include the clinic (shared by 20 doctors), but the building also housed a medical lab and a pharmacy. The clinic remained at the site until the early 1970s when it became home to the Thurston County Health Department. The Memorial Clinic was designed by the father and son team of Joseph and Robert Wohleb.

5 ? Capital Center Building 410 W 5th Ave Architect: Bennett & Olson, 1966

The two-million dollar Capitol Center Building set the architectural tone in Olympia during the late 1960s. The imposing nine-story structure was the first mid-rise building to be constructed in the city and features an exterior curtain-wall building system. The main entry of the Meisian style building is highlighted by a large flat roof which appears to float between two steel columns.

6 ? Capitol Lake Restrooms Intersection of Water Street & Legion Way Architect: George Ekvall, 1963

The efforts of Olympia's "Committee for the 60s" led to the construction of the Capitol Lake restrooms. The civic group was formed to study capital improvements for the city, which included several "special action projects" such as an auditorium, a new city hall, and a park and restrooms at Capitol Lake. Long-time Olympia City Manager, Eldon Marshall, convinced local architect, George Ekvall, to design the building free of charge for the city.

7 ? Seattle First National Bank ? Olympia Branch 210 5th St W Architect: McClelland & Osterman, 1959

This bank building is one of several similar structures built across the state by Seattle First National Bank in the 1950s. The design was initially developed by Seattle architect John Maloney. The Seattle architectural firm of McClelland & Osterman then adapted Maloney's design to conditions in Olympia. The New Formalist style building has an exterior of Roman brick, skinnier and longer than normal bricks. The building also features a curtain wall of multipane windows set in a slightly projecting rectangular concrete bay window and a curved cast stone entry portal. Inside the main entry is a mosaic tile mural depicting the legislative building on the Capitol Campus.

8 ? Goldberg's Furniture Store 403 Capitol Way S Architect: Wohleb & Wohleb, 1950

Proudly advertising, "Modern is the Word for our New Store," Goldberg's Furniture brought the latest design trends to downtown Olympia in 1950. The 3-story, 21,000 sq. ft. building was managed and owned by Alan and Arthur Goldberg. Their father, Joseph, had established the business in Olympia in the 1920s and eventually expanded operations into Aberdeen and Everett. The firm of Wohleb & Wohleb designed the building with large expanses of glass at the street level protected by fixed awnings to entice year round window shopping. The upper two floors of the

building, void of windows, served as an area to post a large sign.

9 ? Olympia Federal Savings & Loan 421 Capitol Way N Architect: Bennett & Johnson, 1967, 1978

Reflecting the postwar growth of the banking industry, Olympia Federal Savings & Loan set out in the late 1960s to make a bold architectural statement on a prominent lot in downtown Olympia. Designed as a floating glass box inside a metal and brick frame, the local architectural firm of Bennett & Johnson rose to the occasion, and set a new architectural standard for the city. Today the building remains one of the most intact mid-

century modern buildings in the city. In 1978 Bennett & Johnson designed the rear and side additions which enclosed part of the open box.

The building is also noteworthy for its mahogany carved doors which feature a maze of skeleton key shapes inlaid with colored glass. It was designed and built by noted Wenatchee artist Walter Graham.

10 ? Capital Savings & Loan 222 5th Ave E Architect: Sibold & Nesland, 1963

Inspired by the futuristic pavilions at the Century 21 Exposition in Seattle, Capital Savings & Loan brought a unique architectural style to downtown Olympia in the early 1960s. The building was designed by the architectural firm of Sibold & Nesland, which had offices in Olympia and Seattle. The poured concrete building is clad with stone veneer and boasts a "parabolic-like" roof. The rear of the building, which forms a half-circle, is delineated by a projecting second floor supported by graceful arches. Upon entry into the bank, patrons were originally welcomed by a small bridge which was flanked by pools of water.

11 ? Metropolitan Life Insurance Company 1006 4th Ave NE Architect: Kenneth Ripley, 1958

Obscured today by a metal parapet wall, the Metropolitan Life Insurance Company building originally had a distinct low profile design which highlighted large full-width beams holding up the flat roof. Ample windows at the eaves, which nearly surround all four sides of the building, allowed natural light to flood into the work area. The building served as home to Metropolitan Life Insurance Company until the late 1970s and was designed by Seattle architect Kenneth Ripley.

12 ? Sears Department Store 600 Franklin St Architect: George Ekvall, 1952

Echoing the design of Goldberg's Furniture Store, former Wohleb employee George Ekvall designed a modern Sears Department Store in 1952. Constructed for just over $200,000, the investment by Sears was significant for the time. The store was attempting to compete with the locally owned and operated Miller's Store, which had been in business in Olympia since the turn of the century.

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